This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-078728, filed Mar. 21, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an endoscope having an air/water supply conduit provided therein.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 4-307022, for example, discloses an endoscope having an air/water supply function. This endoscope has a water supply nozzle directed toward an observation window and provided on the distal end of an insertion section inserted into a body cavity. When the surface of the observation window is stained, water is sprayed from the water supply nozzle onto the surface of the observation window by the pressure of a pump included in a light source unit to wash away the stain on the surface of the observation window.
In addition, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 3-99627 discloses an endoscope having a suction function and a forward water supply function. This endoscope can attract the dirt, mucus and the like which obstruct observation and discharge them out of a body cavity. Further, as in the case of the interior of, for example, large intestine, if a dirt or the like is attached to an observation target, cleaning water is strongly sprayed from a forward water supply port opening in forward direction onto the distal end of the insertion section to thereby wash away the dirt or the like strongly adhering to the target. Water supply in this case is carried out by connecting a manually-operated water supply equipment such as a syringe to the inlet of a water supply conduit leading to the forward water supply port.
Further, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-317240 discloses an endoscope having a stopper valve provided on a water supply conduit. When this endoscope is pulled out from a body cavity, water remaining in the forward water supply conduit of the endoscope can be prevented from leaking outside from the inlet of the conduit.
Such an endoscope having the air/water supply function, the suction function and the forward water supply function comprises a conduit extending from the distal end portion of the insertion section to the distal end portion of a universal cord through an operation section. The conduit is formed out of one tube of, for example, PTFE. This tube normally has a length of 2000 mm to 5000 mm, which length varies according to the type of the endoscope. When assembling the endoscope, the tube is connected to the distal end portion of the insertion section, gradually inserted from the distal end portion side of the insertion section into the insertion section and inserted into the universal cord through the operation section. During an assembly line for assembling the endoscope, the long tube is exposed as described above. Due to this, there is a probability that the tube is entangled with other members to disadvantageously hinder the assembly operation or the tube interferes with the other members to damage the tube.
Furthermore, if the tube is damaged while the endoscope is used or cleaned, it is necessary to replace the tube with a new one. In that case, since the conduit is formed out of one tube, it is required to disassemble the endoscope entirely to replace the tube with a new one, disadvantageously requiring lot of labor for the repair operation.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-stated circumstances. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope capable of improving the assembly operativity of the endoscope and facilitating a repair operation.
According to one aspect of the invention to obtain the above object, there is provided an endoscope comprising: an insertion section having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and being insertable into a body cavity; an operation section arranged on a proximal end portion side of the insertion section; a universal cord extending from the operation section, and having a distal end portion; and a conduit inserted into the insertion section, the operation section and the universal cord, wherein the conduit has one end arranged on the distal end portion of the insertion section and having a first opening portion formed therein, and the other end arranged on the universal cord and having a second opening portion formed therein, the conduit separable on a portion between the one end and the other end.
According to this endoscope, the conduit communicating the distal end portion of the insertion section through the operation section to the distal end portion of the universal cord is divided into pieces which are connected to each other in a detachable manner, thereby the assembly operativity of the endoscope can be improved and the endoscope can be repaired easily.
It is preferable that the conduit has a dividable portion arranged in the operation section. Further, it is preferable that the conduit includes a conduit selected from a group consisting of a forward water supply conduit, an air/water supply conduit, a suction conduit and an air supply conduit. In this case, the conduit is included in the insertion section and in the universal cord, respectively and then the conduit is connected within, for example, the operation section, whereby the forward water supply conduit, the air/water supply conduit, the suction conduit, the air supply conduit or the like can be constituted. Further, if the conduit is damaged, only the damaged conduit can be replaced with a new one.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope comprising: an insertion section having a proximal end portion and distal end portion, and being insertable into a body cavity; an operation section arranged on a distal end portion side of the insertion section; a universal cord extending from the insertion section, and having a distal end portion; a connector provided on the distal end portion of the universal cord; and a conduit inserted into the insertion section, the operation section and the universal cord, wherein the conduit has one end arranged on the distal end portion of the insertion section and having a first opening portion formed therein, and the other end arranged on the connector and having a second opening portion formed therein, the conduit separable on a portion between the one end and the other end.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope system comprising: an insertion section having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and being insertable into a body cavity; an operation section arranged on a proximal end portion side of the insertion section; a universal cord extending from the operation section, and having a distal end portion; a connector provided on the distal end portion of the universal cord; a conduit inserted into the insertion section, the operation section and the universal cord, and having one end arranged on the distal end portion of the insertion section and having a first opening portion formed therein and the other end arranged on the connector and having a second opening portion formed therein; a fluid supply source supplying a fluid to the conduit; and a valve having a first connection section attachable and detachable to the second opening portion and a second connection section attachable and detachable to the fluid supply source, and preventing backflow of the fluid when feeding the fluid supplied from the fluid supply source to the conduit.
According to this endoscope system, there is no need to provide a valve for preventing the backflow of a fluid in the endoscope itself. Therefore, the endoscope itself can be made light in weight, small in size and simple in structure, the operativity of the endoscope is thereby improved and the endoscope can be carried more easily. Besides, the production cost of the endoscope and the like can be reduced. In addition, since no complex check-valve is provided on the endoscope side, a defect does not occur to parts relating to the check-valve and a repair operation for the fault of the endoscope resulting from the defect is not required.
Moreover, it is preferable that a supply tube including the valve is provided and that the first connection section and the second connection section are formed in the supply tube. In this case, a water supply tube having a valve is formed and the fluid supply source can be attached and detached to and from the endoscope without laying a load on the endoscope. In addition, since the fluid supply source is connected to the endoscope using the value equipped water supply tube, it is possible to carry out attachment/detachment operations for the supply source in a place away from the endoscope, thereby making the attachment/detachment operations easier and simpler. Normally, there is not enough space in the connection section of the endoscope for connecting the value equipped water supply tube. Even so, it is possible to provide a structure capable of connecting the value equipped water supply tube in a compact fashion. Besides, the flexibility for the layout of the endoscope system is increased.
Furthermore, it is preferable that a portion between the first connection section and the second opening portion is formed to have a structure requiring more time in attachment and detachment operations for attaching and detaching the first connection section to and from the opening portion than attachment and detachment operations for attaching and detaching the second connection section to and from the fluid supply source. In this case, an operator attaches and detaches the fluid supply source to and from the value equipped water supply tube without detaching the valve or value equipped water supply tube for preventing the backflow of a fluid from the endoscope, thereby making it possible to prevent the valve or the value equipped water supply tube from being erroneously detached.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.